Friday, January 31, 2014

WINTERTIME = WOOL

I couldn't decide what to title this last post for January 2014 - Many of you have had horrible winter weather to deal with in January 2014 - it will be remembered for a long time in the deep south where I live.  There was no actual horrific conditions to deal with here in NE FL but just slightly to the north and I mean mere miles away - there was sleet, ice and some snow.  Schools and businesses were closed and I'm sure those of you who live in true winter conditions all the time will be amused to hear snow flurries and a little sleet will close schools and businesses but indeed folks it does.  Take the debacle in Atlanta as an example. 

Oh well - on to the fun stuff - Wintertime for me equals lots of rug hooking.  Off the Ocean 2014 has come and gone.  This workshop was smaller than usual but we had the same amount of fun.  I was honored along with 3 teachers and 4 other students for having attended all 15 years.  We were given a beautiful "Relic" silver pendant with our initial on it by the directors and DF/s mother and daughter team Judy Colley and Katie Puckett.  I'll try to remember to show a photo of the pendant next time.

I have lots of beautiful rugs to show you from the exhibit - so off we go

BTW - I will be forever grateful to my blog friend Ann over at Dolls Musings for cluing me in to Picasa Web Albums - Gees - I am now able to upload my photos with ease - Thanks Ann!

The photos aren't that great because they were all shot with my Iphone and sometimes the angle was not good - the patterned carpet is always a detractor from the beauty of the rugs, best I can do folks.  As always there was a bevy of beautiful rugs in the show.  This is not all of them so if I missed your rug - please don't be offended - sometimes people were standing in the way for a long time and I had to move on.  A couple of the shots were awful and could not be published.
First up is this one called Ocean Beauty - I remember that because this woman was in my class.  It won a prize in the exhibit - 3rd place maybe - I don't remember all the placements.
 

Some of the rugs I don't know anything about and I will not comment unless I do.

This rug won a prize in the wide cut category.  A rug canvas designed by Bev Conway

This rug was hooked by a charter member of our local rug guild and it won a prize - 2nd place I think in the wide cut category.  It's the Button Basket by Holly Hill Designs

The snowman chair seat was designed by DF Katie Puckett and hooked by another DF and guild member Suzy S.

I'm pretty positive this was hooked by my teacher Sibyl Osicka - she does magnificent realistic animals in a 3 cut.


Another beautiful rug by guild member Susan R


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My scarecrow rug got a little lost in the carpet patterning.  This is a design by Bev Conway and is called Pumpkin Patch.  Most of the wool was from Bev but I arranged the color plan myself.



This rug was huge - It was the winner of one of the categories - Wide cut I believe but not sure
Another huge rug - hooked in a 3 cut by a woman in my class, Sibyl was the designer of the rug and also the teacher if I am not mistaken and this rug I think was 3rd place in the fine shading category.  Just goes to show the depth of quality at this exhibit.

Hard to tell but this was a stool - very cute design!

 More rugs hooked by Sibyl Osicka - you can visit her at www.sibylosicka.com
The gorgeous geisha girl was also Sibyls - a woman in our class was hooking one very similar.  What a challenge.

Here is my new rug I started with Sibyl - it is a crewel pattern by the late great Jane Olson called Dowry. 

Doesn't look like much for 4 days of hooking but I didn't hook any late nights this year.  My mommy wasn't able to be at rug camp with me this year and my whole karma was off without my pal.

I think this red flower was my best effort on the rug and that was the first one I did.  Fine shading with a 3 cut requires a lot of thought and a lot of time just looking and staring to make sure you are getting it right - it also requires some pull out in some cases. 

 
As you can see - Sibyl wanted to move me around the entire rug and see if I could get a little bit of each motif in while at class.  The very dark brown looking wool in this shot is my backround.  I would call it Oxblood - it is a very very dark maroon.
 
It was a great experience to be in Sibyls class this year.  I usually put away my camp project and go back to another rug which is closer to completion.  I have a very big rug at home from many camps ago that is sooooo close to being finished so I will continue to work on that one however - I believe I might try and work on Dowry from time to time just so I can see some forward progress on it and keep the shading concept fresh in my mind.
 
Yes there has been some stitching and knitting going on but this post is all about the wool so I'll save that for a February post.  Until then - with warm and wooley-thoughts ~ ~ ~

10 comments:

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

What beautiful, gorgeous rugs! I always adore your posts where you feature them. I am in love with the idea of hooking, but I know that to get into it big time would take a lot of time and effort to find teachers around here...so I will live vicariously through your posts :)
Dowry is going to be STUPENDOUS!

Cari said...

Oh Mel…these rugs are drooling eye candy !! They are beautiful works of art. I recognized your pumpkin one right away!! Sorry the your best friend, Mom, couldn't join you this time. I sure hope all is well. Stay warm…it's really been a cool and dreary January hasn't it?

Hugs, Cari

krayolakris said...

It would be hard to pick a favorite..all stunning workmanship! Congrats on 15 years and my doesn't time fly?

Margaret said...

Wow! The rugs are just gorgeous! And your rug start -- OMG! The shading is so subtle and wonderful! Such gorgeous work you do! Sorry your mom couldn't be with you at the rug camp. :(

Laurie in Iowa said...

I always enjoy your rug camp posts. The rugs are gorgeous. I love, love, love the new rug project you started at camp.

henri said...

Really enjoyed this post, just gorgeous rugs!!
Thanks for sharing.

Jackie's Stitches said...

You really did a wonderful job on the shading Mel! It's really exquisite. I'm looking forward to seeing more as you hook this one.

Anne said...

Gorgeous rugs! WOW!! SO many to ooh and aah over. Hooking is fun since I helped my cousin one time hook a massive rug to fit a hotel...inspired by the rug from the shining. It took over 50 people to help her hook it. Anywho, I hope February is less cold and warmth find you. So glad that Picasa is working for you!! It's fun to fool around with the settings too. Try out some collages!! Hugs!!

Loraine said...

Oh Wow Mel!!! What a wonderful post full of eye candy. These rugs are just so spectacular! Thanks for sharing.
I think your Scarecrow looks great. One of my favorites for sure.
I hope you had a wonderful time at your retreat. I am wishing that I did more rug hooking now.
Hugs to you!

Karoline said...

What great rugs, glad you had a good time. Your new rug looks gorgeous, love the red flower.